Taiwan-based LED epi-wafer and chip manufacturer Epileds registered a lower revenue in 3Q17 than that in 2Q17 and the revenue fell from a year ago because of seasonality and factory relocation. Epileds is predicted to continue moving factories and purchase infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) LED machines in 4Q17. Epileds will mainly buy used machines and modify them by itself. The revenue in 4Q17 is estimated to be similar to that in 3Q17. Epileds' annual revenue is projected to stay flat, but gross margin will improve, and profit will possibly bounce back. 

Samsung Electronics, a Korean company specializing in advanced digital component solutions, and TÜV SÜD, a global technical services provider of quality, safety and sustainability solutions, today announced that the companies have developed a new testing program for Samsung’s automotive LED components. A ceremony was held earlier today at the headquarters of TÜV SÜD Korea Ltd. in Seoul, Korea, to unveil the new testing program.

Taiwanese LED package manufacturer EVERLIGHT reported a 9% QoQ slide in its 3Q17 revenue due to lukewarm sales of general lighting, backlights, and consumer electronics applications. Facing threats from Chinese rivals in those markets, the company would also experience decreased gross margin. Performance in Q4 is projected similar to that in Q3. Both its 2017 revenue and profit might decline. EVERLIGHT’s finance has experienced a continuous fall since 2015.

Capstone Companies, Inc., a designer of innovative LED lighting solutions including power failure lighting, announced preliminary third quarterrevenue as of September 30, 2017 of approximately $13 million, an increase of 11% over the prior year period. Preliminary year-to-date revenue is expected to exceed $30 million, an increase of approximately $7.3 million or 32.2% as compared to the same period 2016.

China’s largest LED chip maker San’an Opto lately announced it has received a RMB 124 million subsidy from the Xiamen Torch Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone Administration Committee for its purchase of MOCVD systems.

NanoLumens announced that Nashville-based PixelFLEX has joined the NanoLumens Partner Program. Now able to exclusively market the NanoLumens' Nixel SeriesTM flexible LED under the name "TrueFLEX visualized by NanoLumens", the partner agreement coincides with the settlement of the corresponding NanoLumens patent infringement lawsuit.

Quantum dots developer Quantum Materials on October 19 issued its shareholder update report 2017.

Philips Lighting on October 19 announced the company’s third quarter results 2017. “In line with our objectives, Philips Lighting returned to comparable sales growth in the quarter. For the first time in our transformation, the growth of LED and connected lighting systems & services more than offset the decline of our conventional business,” said CEO Eric Rondolat.

Osram Licht AG announced to start the operation of its new LED chip factory in the Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Malaysia on October 23. The company claimed the new plant will be the world’s largest and most advanced 6-inch LED chip plant after the final stage of the construction scheduled to be finished in 2020.

Epistar Corporation filed a patent infringement lawsuit against All Star Lighting Supplies, Inc., d/b/a Luxrite in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey on October 13, 2017. The complaint asserts that Luxrite’s LED filament bulbs infringe eight Epistar patents and seeks injunctive relief to halt further sale of the infringing products.

Cree on October 17 released a webcast reporting its 1Q18 financial results. The next-day financial report showed a decrease of 3% YoY in the LED chip maker’s revenue. Gregg Lowe, Cree CEO, stated with faith that the company will implement new strategies in the next few months. Cree is speculated to invest heavily in its chip business and to exit the consumer lighting market. Its stock jumped 16% on Wednesday after the new CEO announced the new guidance. 

Taiwan-based LED manufacturer Epistar's revenue in September rose to NTD 2.476 billion, setting a new record high since April 2015. Its revenue in the third quarter of 2017 also set a new record for the past 12 quarters, reaching NTD 7.057 billion.

Cree yesterday announced financial results for its first quarter of fiscal 2018, ended September 24, 2017. Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 was $360 million, which represents a 3% decrease compared to revenue of $371 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 and a slight increase compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. 

GB Energie LED announced the completion of an LED retrofit project for Leesburg Executive Airport in Leesburg, Virginia. The project included the installation of LED lighting solutions within the terminal, as well as exterior building lighting and throughout parking lots to improve lighting levels and increase energy efficiency, improving lighting energy use by more than 60%.

Osram acquires a stake in the Swiss company beaconsmind AG. Via its venture capital unit, Fluxunit, the lighting company has gained a strategic minority interest in the start-up that offers smart software to retailers, enabling a personalized approach to customers. Fluxunit supports and develops both internal and external start-ups.

Heliospectra AB (publ), an expert in intelligent lighting technology for greenhouse and controlled plant growth environments, announces a new cooperation with NYSK Holdings, a state-of-the-art medicinal cannabis facility in Macedonia. The grower is partnering with Heliospectra to be able to supply patients with consistent, pharmaceutical-grade medicine for chronic diseases year-round. The investment is valued at around $125,000 (1,016,000 SEK).

Ultravision International announced that it has reached a definitive agreement with Lamar Advertising Company, an owner and operator of outdoor advertising and logo sign displays, for Lamar to purchase LED billboard lights and Modular LED Display Panels from Ultravision.

Metropolitan Wi-Fi firm Connexin has secured up to a £10m investment to rapidly scale up and expand its smart cities business.

OLED patent holder Samsung Electronics now also steps into the realm of Micro LED, reported the Investor. It is also looking to acquire PlayNitride, a Taiwan-based Micro LED developer in an attempt to offset the sluggish sales of its QLED TVs.

The eagerly awaited 6th Edition of the LED Expo Thailand is all set to explore new boundaries with more than 300 exhibitors, prepping their latest to display on an expanse of over 20,000 sqm of exhibit area. A footfall comprising 15,000 international trade visitors not only from the ASEAN region as well as from across the world is expected to throng the Challenger 1 Hall of the Impact Exhibition and Convention Centre during 10-12 May ’18. The Expo witnesses participation from both exhibitors and visitors in a large number.

The first Micro LED product is Crystal LED Display that Sony showcased at CES 2012. Outwardly similar to a regular TV, it was an ultimate combination of the most state-of-the-art technologies back then. However, Sony, after its first success, had gone silent for quite a while until 2016.

The U.S. Department of Energy has released a new Snapshot report on LED outdoor area lighting. Based on DOE's LED Lighting Facts®database, the report focuses on outdoor area/roadway luminaires (including street lighting and wall packs), parking garage luminaires, and canopy luminaires (e.g., those used for gas station fuel pump areas). Retrofit kits and dedicated luminaires in these categories are not considered separately, as only in the area/roadway category did retrofit kits make up a notable percentage (8%) of the products listed in the category.

German-based lighting behemoth Osram announced on October 10 a total investment of EUR 25.6 million (USD 30.1 million) in its first plant in Bulgaria. The company has made public its plan to expand its production line to Eastern Europe earlier in March this year, covered in news from SeeNews.

German engineering conglomerate Siemens said on Wednesday it sold its share of more than 17% in Osram, the noted lighting giant that was originally a part of it, in an accelerated bookbuild run by Citigroup and Deutsche Bank.

AIXTRON announced today that Elite Advanced Laser Corporation (eLASER), a Taiwan-based provider of electronics manufacturing services (EMS) for advanced optoelectronic and radio frequency (RF) components, has placed a repeat order for an AIX G5+ C system to produce gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial wafers and devices for power electronics applications.

Kingbright Company has recently signed an authorized distribution agreement with Arrow Electronics, Inc.

Plessey announces a partnership with leading Dutch alstroemeria grower Together2Grow, following a successful trial of its LED grow lights combined with existing high-pressure sodium (HPS) lighting in a hybrid installation.

Veeco Instruments announced that it has shipped multiple TurboDisc® EPIK® 868 Gallium Nitride (GaN) Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) systems to several leading Chinese LED manufacturers for the production of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for solid statelighting applications.

Taiwan-based LED chip manufacturer Tyntek Corporation expects positive outlook of sensors, so it plans to invest NTD 1.2~1.3 billion to build a new factory. The new plant is expected to enter mass production phase in second quarter of 2018. The design capacity of the first period is estimated to be 30,000 6-inch wafers per month. 

Philips Lighting has signed a partnership agreement with Ball Seed, one of North America’s leading wholesale horticultural distributors.